Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 51, October 2013 | Page 21
My Story brought to you by
heelchair W
The 1 000km Challenge is a feat for any runner, chasing race mileage in a calendar year, but for Pieter Pretorius and Fanus Rossouw, two wheelchair athletes from Pretoria, it is about more than just mileage as they try to increase wheelchair awareness at races across SA.
Fanus Rossouw
I was involved in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident in 2005 and I ended up with several broken ribs, a broken back and suffered major head trauma. The doctors told my wife that I wouldn’t survive the operation, but after two and a half months I was out of ICU and started rehab. Paralysed from the abdomen down, I started to do some strength work, but it was difficult. It’s then that I met Pieter and the group of guys at Rademeyers. Pieter told me to start off with a 10km with him. Little did I know he was tricking me and it was an extra 5km, but my love of races was born. So we stepped it up to 21km, then 32km and eventually a marathon. Now, we’re ticking off 100-milers! You just go, and Pieter always encourages me if I feel like stopping. I managed to get 805km for a silver medal in the 1 000km Challenge. At races across Gauteng, we get a great reception from runners. When there’s a steep incline, they’re more than happy to push and help. It’s always a fun experience and we joke along the way.
Warriors
Pieter and I race in our normal day-to-day chairs, just to show athletes that it doesn’t take a big expense to start! While we struggle to wheel on grass at most finishes, we carry on! What’s life without a few hiccups, anyway? If you try one race, who knows what can happen? It has definitely changed me as a person – I knew that I could do so much more than sitting at home.
Pieter Pretorius
I feel like Fanus and I have had two lifespans in one – one on our feet and one on wheels. I was involved in a car accident back in 1992 and was left paralysed from the abdomen down. About five years ago, I met Thea Wilkins and the wheelchair group at Rademeyers, ‘The Kloofies,’ and they convinced me to do my first 5km. After that I never thought I’d double it up to 10km, but I got stronger and eventually I met Fanus and conned him into doing races with me! We use a front freewheel on our normal chairs instead of racing chairs, because we want to let other wheelchair athletes know that there is no need for fancy chairs. It’s been two years now that the 1 000km Challenge has been open to wheelchair athletes and there’s more awareness out there. This year, I managed to get in 1 200km for a gold medal and it’s been a great experience! Fanus and I finished in 23:37 at the Dawn to Dusk 100 Miler and were ninth in a time of 20:21 at the Golden Reef. There are a few more 100-milers we’d like to do, the Comrades – if we’re allowed one day – as well as the London Marathon. Apart from some blisters, swollen hands at the end of a race, and ?at tyres, we love every minute of it! Since I’ve started racing, there’s been an improvement in my health – my blood pressure has dropped and I’ve got so much confidence! In the end, it’s a battle against yourself. I always thought I was in the way, but now there’s so much support. People tell us that we’re an inspiration, but it’s the runners who boost us!
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